You think you have a problem with hoarding books? The above short film, by Sergey Stefanovich, walks you through the library of writer and critic Duncan Fallowell, which “has spilled over into every available space and become an art installation in its own right.” (Via.)

Fallowell narrates, with lots of meditative insights on reading and writing: “I’m so glad I haven’t read everything–I have such a wonderful future awaiting me.”

However, if you really need to clear out some space, perhaps this post by Jodi Chromey, “How I Learned to Stop Hoarding and Give Away Books,” provides the solution.

• More on writers’ writing spaces

Further advice on culling your collection

• And, further bookshelf porn

• Look at things from the other way around: I’m waiting for agents and editors to make a “Shit authors say” video.

Happy Friday, everyone!

(And if that’s not enough to convince you to watch, I have two words for you: ukulele soundtrack.)

This video—especially the lists of things the patrons hope to do in their new library—remind me that libraries aren’t just shelves of books: they’re community centers, access points to both the wide world and the world wide web, and possibly the best way to encourage love of learning in children.

Watch, get warm and fuzzy inside, and if you’ve got a spare couple of dollars, you can donate via Paypal.

• Cutesy videos are the Massachusetts way—here’s the New York City way to save a library.
• Even the Old Spice Guy loves libraries.
• If the new library doesn’t work, maybe Shutesbury has another option: pop-up lending libraries.

I was lucky enough to hear Ann Patchett in person, at the Muse and the Marketplace conference in Boston a few years ago, and I was impressed by how sharp she was—for example, she delivered a witty and inspiring keynote address without a single page of notes.  (I wish I were cool enough to be friends with her!) But even so, I was surprised to see her talk Stephen Colbert into a corner.  Watch below, and see if you aren’t convinced of the need for independent brick-and-mortar stores, too:

• FWR reviews Ann Patchett’s most recent novel, State of Wonder
• Learn more about why Patchett decided to open her own bookstore
• Listen to Patchett deliver the above-mentioned keynote address at the Muse and the Marketplace conference in 2009

There’s a clip of photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt’s recalling what it was like to shoot Ernest Hemingway’s portrait for the cover of Life magazine in 1952, a Notre Dame student performing his musical homage to Daisy Buchanan from The Great Gatsby, a timelapse video of artist Mike Stilkey assembling an installation with books as his sculptural medium. Or the clip below, on the subject of literary tattoos:

(Confused? It’s part of a social media campaign in which the Old Spice Guy answers questions from fans, explains GalleyCat.)

Next, a dead-on parody of the Old Spice commercial encourages students to study… in the library. The video was produced by the Harold B. Lee Library Multimedia Production Crew of Brigham Young University.

Finally, NPR suggests that libraries might be the next big pop-culture wave (after cupcakes). After a Chicago Fox News segment suggested libraries were a “waste of tax money” (”They eat up millions of your hard earned tax dollars.[... W]ith the internet and e-books, do we really need millions for libraries?”), the Chicago Public Library Commissioner offered an open-letter smackdown, Vanity Fair shot back a sharp retort, and even the UK’s Guardian covered the story. Why are libraries suddenly “hot” again? Read the NPR essay to find out.